Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
LITTLE HOUSES — The Livesey’s Little Houses received a warm welcome to Bridgewater during a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce. Pictured displaying the ribbon in front of one of the buildings, from left, are: Theresa Fowler, CACC executive director, and Jill Rusby, Bridgewater town manager.
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
BRIDGEWATER — Little houses are becoming more popular as individuals look for ways to lower expenses and streamline their lives. A Bridgewater company is hoping to meet the needs of people looking for a solid structure that will last the test of time.
Livesey’s Little Houses, designed and built by Jay Livesey, are one-of-a-kind structures suitable for a number of uses and built to last.
The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting event on Thursday, May 22, to welcome the unique business.
“Jay creates beautiful buildings, which can be used for various purposes, including cottages, cabins, garden sheds and storage,” said Theresa Fowler, CACC executive director.
Livesey said he’s been in the building trades business for about 30 years and has been doing carpentry for 20 years.
“We moved to The County in 1993 to be part of the Centreville, N.B., Mennonite Church that had just started. We lived in Mars Hill for two years and then moved to Bridgewater. I and my family were members there for nine years before we built our church here in Bridgewater,” said Livesey.
When he first arrived in the area, he found work with Dalton Scovil and Jerry Tessier Sr. — men he credits with teaching him the skills he now uses on a daily basis.
“I worked for Dalton for the first three years, then with Jerry for the next two. I owe a lot to those men for teaching me the carpentry trade,” he said.
Livesey started on his own in 1998.
“One of my first projects was a post-and-beam home on Number 9 Lake. I loved the challenge of the joinery details and kind of got bit by the finish bug. I have over the years built numerous horse barns, machine sheds and homes. But in more recent years, I have done mostly kitchen and bath remodeling, with a lot of tile work (floors, walk-in showers, etc.) and some cabinet making. I really enjoy recreating the architectural details of the old-style homes. Traditional New England architecture is both practical and beautiful. It’s sad to see it disappear,” Livesey said.
Livesey said the idea to build little houses came about, in part, through a conversation with his son, Tyler Yost.
“The concept of Livesey’s Little Houses came about because my son, Tyler — who delivers barns for other local mini barn builders — saw an unfilled niche in the market. There are those people who desire a higher level of finish and quality. Not everybody is content with mass-produced look-alike buildings,” he said.
Livesey’s structures can be designed to match a home or a specific concept.
“What I am offering is a building with traditional architectural details and a higher level of finish. I can’t compete price-wise with the others because these buildings can’t be mass-produced. The labor and attention to detail that goes into each building is hard for the average non-builder to imagine,” he said.
“Take, for example, a cedar shingle roof. A cedar shingle roof lasts about 30 years but must be done right. First, I cover the roof with ice and water shield for extra insurance. Then I carefully select and lay out the shingles with the proper spacing, throwing out shingles with defects, knots, etc. Then I make sure the shingles overlay joints in the lower course at least — one-and-a-quart to one-and-a-half inches — to prevent side-to-side capillary action from causing water to seep into the joints,” continued Livesey.
Special attention is given to the roof’s peak.
“The shingles that make up the cap of the roof are ripped at an appropriate angle and fastened two at a time down the length of the roof. You can begin to see how time-consuming the process is,” noted Livesey.
He said even the painting, if done right, takes two to three days to complete.
“Knots in the clapboard are primed with a shellac stain blocker, then the whole building is primed, caulked and then two coats of paint are applied with a brush to ensure that there is more than just a light coat of paint,” Livesey said.
How a building is completed inside and out is up to the customer.
“Buildings can be finished inside, complete with electricity and plumbing, kitchen and bathroom. All legal requirements are met for a seasonal cottage. Licensed tradesmen are used and permits pulled. Before a project begins, local authorities are contacted to make sure everybody’s happy,” said Livesey.
Sizes range from 6-feet by 8-feet to 12-feet by 32-feet.
“Delivery is available in all of Maine, New Brunswick and New Hampshire. I also do on-site construction and, of course, still do remodeling and additions,” he said.
One of his most recent projects was building a little house for a woman downstate.
“She lives in Blue Hill. She wanted a small structure suitable to live in. I built one complete with plumbing, which was placed on a slab. The woman had spent time on boats and wanted something similar in size,” he said. “Another individual wanted one built on a trailer, so they could use it for a portable art studio.”
While he uses primarily new materials, Livesey said he can incorporate repurposed items.
“If someone has a favorite door from their grandmother’s house they’d like to use or a stained glass window, for example, I can incorporate that into the project. I have a shed available now that I built using stained glass windows I came across in my travels. Used materials can give a building a special feel that new materials can’t always achieve,” noted Livesey. “I can match siding to your home, match colors. The choices are endless.”
Livesey takes pleasure in doing what he loves.
“It is very satisfying to build something that is both beautiful and will last a long time after I am gone — especially knowing the customer will always appreciate it,” said Livesey.
Livesey’s Little Houses is located at 206 Montieth Rd. in Bridgewater. For more information, call 551-9455, email liveseyjay@gmail.com or visit liveseylittlehouses.com.
